Stuart, Fla. -- Fears of shark dangers are stirring again on parts of Florida's coast following the first deadly shark attack off the state's waters in five years.

Stephen Schafer, a wind-surfer, was bitten several times Wednesday in Stuart, just north of West Palm Beach, in an area where several sharks were spotted.

Jim Gelsleichter, a local shark expert, gave some advice on what swimmers need to know before getting back in the water.

"Not necessarily that they were ganging up on the victim, but within the past few days there have been reports of large aggregations of sharks," Gelsleichter said of Wednesday's shark attack.

Gelsleichter, who works at the University of North Florida, said it's unlikely the attack was a feeding frenzy.

"Any attack on an individual is likely to release blood and attract other sharks," he said. "Not necessarily that they were feeding in a frenzied manner."

Gelsleichter said the waters off Jacksonville are colder now, but swimmers shouldn't take it for granted that sharks are normally found down south this time of year. He said one shark was tagged in Massachusetts and recently found off the coast of Jacksonville.

Ida Smiley, who's visiting Jacksonville from Nebraska, said when she found out about the shark attack in south Florida, she had a bit of an overreaction, even though her children hadn't touched the ocean water at Jacksonville Beach.

"I'm from Nebraska. We don't have beaches," Smiley said. "I'm thinking I want to go back to Nebraska."

When the water does warm up and people return to the ocean, Gelsleichter wants to remind swimmers to be safe.

"Don't swim off too far. Don't swim alone," he said. "Don't wear flashy jewelry, and certainly any sort of blood in the water from an open wound is a no-no."

G-man

02-05-2010, 03:08 PM

A couple days before the news crews were shooting along the beach and there hundreds of sharks off shore as shallow as 3 ft

JohnE

02-05-2010, 04:39 PM

I'm still more afraid of the gators.

thatsmrmastercraft

02-05-2010, 04:44 PM

Don't have to worry about either here in Minnesota. Of course there is two or three feet of ice on the lakes now and I just came on from using the snowblower again. I still would rather die from hypothermia than to get eaten by a shark or a gator. Just sayin.:rolleyes:

trickskier

02-05-2010, 04:45 PM

I'm still more afraid of the gators.

Not me..............:D

trickskier

02-05-2010, 04:47 PM

A couple days before the news crews were shooting along the beach and there hundreds of sharks off shore as shallow as 3 ft

Most shark attacks happen in water less than 3ft.

ahhudgins

02-05-2010, 06:13 PM

I’m really surprised that it doesn’t happen more often. After all, we are swimming in THEIR punch bowl. All sharks know is: Swim, eat, reproduce, eat some more. We used to go to VA Beach and Myrtle Beach a lot when the kids were young and that thought was always in the back of my mind, especially when people were catching small sharks right off of the pier. Where do small sharks come from? Bigger sharks.

I drove from VA to Florida for my first MC many years ago. Took it for a test drive but didn’t ski behind it because there were gators in the lake. The guy told me “They are all under 3 feet and they never bother anyone.” Where do small gators come from?

SkiDog

02-05-2010, 07:38 PM

I’m really surprised that it doesn’t happen more often. After all, we are swimming in THEIR punch bowl. All sharks know is: Swim, eat, reproduce, eat some more. We used to go to VA Beach and Myrtle Beach a lot when the kids were young and that thought was always in the back of my mind, especially when people were catching small sharks right off of the pier. Where do small sharks come from? Bigger sharks.

I drove from VA to Florida for my first MC many years ago. Took it for a test drive but didn’t ski behind it because there were gators in the lake. The guy told me “They are all under 3 feet and they never bother anyone.” Where do small gators come from?

You puss!:D:D:D

trickskier

02-05-2010, 08:58 PM

I’m really surprised that it doesn’t happen more often. After all, we are swimming in THEIR punch bowl. All sharks know is: Swim, eat, reproduce, eat some more. We used to go to VA Beach and Myrtle Beach a lot when the kids were young and that thought was always in the back of my mind, especially when people were catching small sharks right off of the pier. Where do small sharks come from? Bigger sharks.

I drove from VA to Florida for my first MC many years ago. Took it for a test drive but didn’t ski behind it because there were gators in the lake. The guy told me “They are all under 3 feet and they never bother anyone.” Where do small gators come from?

You puss!:D:D:D

Then you would NEVER ski if you lived in Florida.................:rolleyes:

Yea, I often wondered why they don't use a different color wetsuit for surfers? You know, maybe something that doesn't look like a seal!

rem_pss308

02-06-2010, 10:06 AM

Gators are scary but we have never had any problems with them.

Here are some pics from this past summer. ( check out the background )

How ever Sharks to me are more scary.

DooSPX

02-06-2010, 12:44 PM

I ran over a smallish (5ft) alligator while kneeboarding a long time ago.
I used to go with a buddy and catch them by hand... of course I almost had my arm taken off by one when I thought it was a 3 foot one that turned out to be 6 foot. good thing for my buddy to stopped me from grabbing it. :rolleyes: I have done some really stupid things but that one is up there... :D
on topic, sharks scare me more...

ahhudgins

02-06-2010, 12:54 PM

Then you would NEVER ski if you lived in Florida.................:rolleyes:

“Puss”? Ouch! The guy on the wakeboard is looking around saying “Ok, where is that gator, I know I saw him a second ago”.:D

How else are they going to stay warm in the cold water. They are tough though - when is the last time you saw one in a dry suit. :D

nmcjr

02-06-2010, 02:49 PM

Strange, lots in the 2000's, not many in the 90's. I went to a wakeboard camp in Florida over the summer and while the locals all said you didn't have to worry about the gators, and as much as I tried to block it out, I couldn't help but be nervous each time I was waiting for the boat and I would hear something splash in the water behind me!!

ahhudgins

02-06-2010, 03:04 PM

"Land Sharks" scare the crap out out me. I'll bet most of you young guys are scratching your heads.:confused:

How else are they going to stay warm in the cold water. They are tough though - when is the last time you saw one in a dry suit. :D

How would they stay warm? Booze, like the rest of us!:friday:

JimN

02-06-2010, 03:34 PM

Strange, lots in the 2000's, not many in the 90's. I went to a wakeboard camp in Florida over the summer and while the locals all said you didn't have to worry about the gators, and as much as I tried to block it out, I couldn't help but be nervous each time I was waiting for the boat and I would hear something splash in the water behind me!!

Ok, you got me, I'm the land shark. /opens door It was a pretty good episode.

thatsmrmastercraft

02-07-2010, 09:54 AM

Ok, you got me, I'm the land shark. /opens door It was a pretty good episode.

Land shark was classic.

TayMC197

02-07-2010, 05:42 PM

Gators are really common were I'm at. Was floating in the river drinking a beer after I was finished boarding and friends informed me a gator was behind me. I turned around to see about a 6 foot gator swimming about 2 yards behind me. She just kept on going down stream. Yes, it was a she. Reason I know is we went back after dark and had dinner. Makes great fajitas. They don't mess with you though unless you get near the nest or jack with em'. If you look at the wikipedia thing, you notice these people weren't eatin just killed. More than likely they jumped in or walk close to a nest. None of these people were deep water.

JimN

02-07-2010, 06:50 PM

Gators are really common were I'm at. Was floating in the river drinking a beer after I was finished boarding and friends informed me a gator was behind me. I turned around to see about a 6 foot gator swimming about 2 yards behind me. She just kept on going down stream. Yes, it was a she. Reason I know is we went back after dark and had dinner. Makes great fajitas. They don't mess with you though unless you get near the nest or jack with em'. If you look at the wikipedia thing, you notice these people weren't eatin just killed. More than likely they jumped in or walk close to a nest. None of these people were deep water.

They don't necessarily eat the animal immediately. Usually, they'll take it to an underwater hiding place and let it get ripe, then tear off a chunk when they need it.